Xavier Lankford rushed for three touchdowns and threw for another as the Alabama A&M University football team ended a two-game losing streak on Saturday with a 56-12 Homecoming victory over Bethune-Cookman in a Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) game at Louis Crews Stadium.
“Every victory is important,” Alabama A&M head coach Connell Maynor said. “We came out and played well. We wanted to come out and put four quarters together. We haven’t put four quarters together all year long. We had a great second half last week, but just fell short. I am also proud of the guys, the coaches for the game plans and getting these guys ready to go. The guys came out and executed at a high level for four quarters.”
Alabama A&M (3-3 overall, 1-1 SWAC) took the opening kickoff and wasted little time putting points on the board. The Bulldogs, aided by a 40-yard completion to Keenan Hambrick, as Lankford punched in a 2-yard touchdown, capping an 8 play, 73-yard drive as AAMU grabbed a quick 7-0 lead with 11:31 remaining in the first quarter.
The Bulldogs doubled their lead, nearly going the length of the field to push the advantage to 14-0, with just over 12 minutes remaining in the half. Alabama A&M went 94 yards in 13 plays, taking 5:46 off the clock, as Lankford scored on a 2-yard keeper to extend the margin.
Bethune-Cookman (0-6, 0-2) answered with a 10-play, 68-yard drive as Cam Ransom scored on a 15-yard touchdown run, cutting the deficit to 14-6 as the extra point was blocked with 7:05 left in the second.
Back came the Bulldogs, going 88 yards as Lankford found a wide open DeQuadrion Welch down the left sideline for a 44-yard touchdown as Alabama A&M stretched the advantage to 21-6 with 2:44 remaining in the half.
Alabama A&M took advantage of a BCU miscue on the ensuing kickoff as the ball bounced off Amarie Jones and Mohamed Bakyoko recovered the ball at the Wildcat 30. On the very next play, Donovan Eaglin broke free for a 30-yard touchdown run as AAMU extended the advantage to 28-6 with 2:34 left.
The Wildcats had an opportunity to chip away at the deficit as Ransom tossed a 49-yard touchdown pass to Omari Stewart, but the score was wiped away as Bethune-Cookman was flagged for offsides. Instead of the score, BCU was forced to punt the football on its first series of the second half.
Alabama A&M responded with a 6 play, 72-yard drive as Bulldog offensive lineman Christian Anderson got his first career touchdown when he recovered an Eaglin fumble in the endzone, stretching the advantage to 35-6 with 9:13 remaining in the third.
With the Bulldogs drive, Lankford was picked up by Johnny Harris III, who went 91 yards down the left sideline for the pick six. However, the extra point was no good as the Wildcats trailed, 35-12, with 5:12 left.
Alabama A&M answered with a 9 play, 68-yard drive as Lankford rushed for his third touchdown of the day, a four-yard score, as the Bulldogs increased the lead to 42-12 with 1:30 remaining in the period.
AAMU put the game away early in the final quarter as Ryan Morrow capped a 75-yard drive with a 2-yard touchdown run as the Bulldogs stretched the advantage to 49-12 with just over 13 minutes to play.
After a defensive stop on fourth down, the Bulldogs offense went right back to work as Isaiah Nwokenkwo broke loose for 65 yards and two plays later, Cornelious Brown IV rushed seven yards for the score as AAMU extended the margin to 56-12 with 9:36 remaining.
CHECKING THE BOX SCORE
- Alabama A&M finished with 701 total yards, including 370 through the air
- The Bulldogs tallied 30 first downs
- AAMU controlled the time of possession, holding the ball for 36:48
- Xavier Lankford went 15 of 24 passing for 315 yards, with one touchdown and one interception
- Donovan Eaglin rushed 13 times for 125 yards and one score
- Lankford recorded 73 yards on 15 carries, with three scores
- Keenan Hambrick caught four passes for 111 yards
- Kaleb Dawson paced the defense with six total tackles, including two solo stops
- Bethune-Cookman finished with 181 total yards, with 107 coming in the air
- The Wildcats recorded 10 first downs
- Cam Ransom went 10 of 23 passing for 105 yards
- Dennis Palmer carried the ball nine times for 35 yards
- Lorenzo Jenkins added three receptions for 21 yards
- Antwone Watts led the defense with 10 total tackles, with four solo stops
NEWS & NOTES
- This was the 18th meeting all-time between the two programs
- With the win, the Bulldogs now trail in the series, 11-7
- AAMU celebrated Homecoming on The Hill
- Attendance for the Homecoming game was announced at 19,727 – the fifth highest in Louis Crews Stadium history
- The victory marked the third consecutive Homecoming victory, dating back to the 2021 season, including two of those against BCU
- In the last three Homecoming games, Alabama A&M has outscored its opponents, 149-42
- This was this second consecutive Homecoming game where AAMU scored 50 or more points
- Xavier Lankford made his second start at quarterback this season
- The Bulldogs played two quarterbacks – Xavier Lankford (started) and Cornelious Brown IV
- Alabama A&M scored on its opening drive for the second time this season
- Donovan Eaglin’s 12-yard run late in the first half gave him 2,000 for his AAMU career
- Cortez Andrews blocked an extra-point attempt, the first of the season for AAMU, midway through the second quarter
- The Bulldogs scored 21 points in the second quarter, marking the first time all season AAMU has exploded for 21 points in a period
- Alabama A&M finished with 701 total yards, the fourth game this season with more than 450 total yards of offense
- The Bulldog defense held BCU to just 74 rushing yards
